WASHINGTON — Fabio Cannavaro was not expecting to be back on the World Cup stage in this capacity any time soon.
As a player, the Italian legend is one of the greatest center-backs in the history of world soccer. He captained his nation to the 2006 World Cup title, won the Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana, the UEFA Cup, and Spain’s La Liga, as well as a pair of vacated Italian Serie A crowns during a distinguished playing career with Parma, Juventus, and Real Madrid.
He is one of just three defenders in the history of the game to win the Ballon d’Or, joining Germans Franz Beckenbauer and Matthias Sammer.
His transition to manager, though, has been bumpy.
He found most of his success in Asia after stops in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and China. After winning the Chinese Super League in 2019 with Guangzhou Evergrande, he returned home to Italy, but didn’t stay there long: 17 matches with Serie B’s Benevento and then just six with top-flight Udinese despite saving them from relegation. In December 2024, he joined Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb before being sacked four months later in April.
Then, out of nowhere, in late September, came a call from the Uzbekistan Football Association.
The small Central Asian nation had qualified for its first-ever World Cup in June and was desperate for a head coach with more experience than its local hero, Timur Kapadze. They went after the 2014 World Cup-winning German coach, Joachim Löw, and ex-Portugal and South Korea manager Paulo Bento.
Both said no.
Cannavaro said yes.
“You know, the World Cup is the World Cup,” Cannavaro, who was officially hired on Oct. 6, told amNewYork in an exclusive interview. “I’m just so happy to be here. For us, it’s something so important. We’re here to learn, we’re here for an amazing experience. When you’re here, it’s just different.”
Reaching the 2026 edition of the World Cup, to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, has felt like a long time coming for Uzbekistan
They made it to the fourth round of Asian (AFC) qualifying in 2010 — just two rounds short of reaching the South Africa-hosted World Cup. They advanced to the fifth round of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, where they needed to defeat Jordan to reach FIFA’s intercontinental play-off — a one-game play-in to the tournament. They lost 9-8 in a penalty shootout after the game ended in a 2-2 draw.
No such drama was necessary this time around. Uzbekistan finished second in Group A of the Asian qualifiers to automatically punch their ticket to the United States.
Still, their prospects are not great. Cannavaro’s side ranks 50th in the world and finds itself in Group K alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and the world’s No. 6-ranked team, Portugal, as well as South American powerhouses Colombia.
That might explain why Cannavaro is hammering home the philosophy of this being a learning experience for this young soccer nation, which was not recognized by FIFA until 1994 — three years after breaking away from the Soviet Union — and could not attempt to qualify for a World Cup until the 1998 edition. It’s a far cry from what Cannavaro is used to. Italy is a world power, although a currently dormant one, where soccer is as close to religion as the papacy.
“This is all new for me, especially as a coach,” Cannavar said. “This will be my first World Cup as a manager, too. Everything will be new. But this is a stage that we need to learn how to be on. We are here to learn.”
But to suggest that Uzbekistan’s squad is inept is a gross misrepresentation of just how far they have come. National products are beginning to make their move to some of the largest leagues in Europe, like defender Abdukodir Khusanov, who plays for English giants Manchester City, or forward Eldor Shomuroov, who is signed to the famous Italian side Roma but is currently on loan with Turkiye’s Istanbul Basaksehir.
Having one of the most decorated defenders from the previous generation now in the room, helping them prepare for the biggest moment of their athletic lives, will only help.
“I hope my experience can help a lot,” Cannavaro said. “Even more because of the pressure, because during the World Cup, the pressure will be crazy for them, because all of Uzbekistan will push the players. Everyone wants to win, but we also want to enjoy it.”
